Manasseite, ferrohogbomite and amesite in mantle plume associated
carbonatite: Implications for unplumbed ultra-hydrous nature of parental
carbonatite magma
Abstract
Study of solid and fluid inclusions in carbonatite is vital for
understanding the nature of primary carbonatitic magma. In this study,
biphase fluid inclusions were observed in calcites and solid mineral
inclusions were observed in accessory magnetite in Sung Valley
carbonatite of NE India. Thi carbonatite is part of an
Ultramafic-Alkaline-Carbonatite Complex (UACC), related to the
Kargue-len Plume activity. All of the studied inclusions are primary in
nature. Raman spectroscopy of these inclusions suggested that the
biphase inclusions hosted by calcite are essentially composed of water
whereas, the solid mineral inclusions hosted by magnetite in the Sung
Valley carbonatite are manasseite, ferrohog-bomite and amesite. The
extremely hydrous minerals inclusions occurring in the magnetite are not
a product of hydrothermal alteration but represent the primary magmatic
characteristics of the parental magma. Our observations suggest that the
parental magma of the Sung Valley carbonatite was ultra-hydrous in
nature, which can be attributed to metasomatism of the source carbonated
peridotite. Our study also suggests that there is a strong possibility
for more hydrous carbonatite melts to occur on a global scale. Plain
Language Summary Primary solid inclusions of manasseite, ferrohogbomite
and amesite and biphase fluid inclusions of H 2 O were observed in
magnetite and calcite respectively in Sung Valley carbonatite of
northeast India. These carbonatite are related to Kerguelen mantle
plume. Solid and fluid inclusions, identified with the help of Raman
spectroscopy, are all of hydrous nature and provide detailed information
about the magma these carbonatite have crystallized from. Inclusion data
suggests that the parental magma of these carbonatite had a significant
amount of dissolved water. Such ultra-hydrous character of the parental
magma could be acquired due to the exhaustion of hydrous minerals during
low degree of partial melting of the source carbonated peridotite.